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Call me a geek, but I just loved that last one, boy do those guys at Classic do a fine job!

What strikes me in all these videos is the old world craftsmanship required to return Elvis' 507 to its original state. I greatly appreciate the folks who have that ability to work so skillfully with their hands.

As for the video you posted, I enjoyed the scene when the seasoned restorer is pounding the metal into shape with his younger assistant standing nearby but with his hearing protection gear in place. Just a striking reminder of old and new school approaches to safety. Another favorite scene is when the bare metal body panels are installed and there is the writing on the nose of the car stating: "Elvis Lebt" or in English "Elvis Lives". This video works for me too because I enjoy hearing the ambient noise of the work area, which makes it feel like you are actually there without the hearing protection gear 😉.

Great videos, and like Ed, it was interesting to see the old-style panel-beating used in the restoration. Given the very limited production run of the 507, I imagine this is the way the cars were originally built, which may account for why they ended up being phenomenally expensive in their day. I was somewhat surprised that they chose not to use much of the original car, other than the steel "tub" and perhaps some of the tube frames used on the hood, boot lid, etc. In Andrew's video at 27:05 you can see the original aluminum bodywork mounted on a buck, clearly not intended for re-use. Being that the original drivetrain was long gone, and the interior was beyond saving, not a lot of what Elvis drove around in back in 1958 survived.

[QUOTE=01BlueZ8;52019]This video includes the story of Jack Castor, a resident of Half Moon Bay, California and how he came to acquire the Elvis' 507. Enjoy! /QUOTE]

Thanks you for posting Ken. Too bad that Mr. Castor wasn't able to see the completion of the Elvis 507. From the video it sounded like he was willing to give up the Elvis 507 to BMW in exchange for the restoration of the other 507 in his collection.

Great pictures! Just think, I could have bought Elvis' car in 1966 for only $5,000 and I was not willing to go above $3,000 and Tommy Charles, the disk jockey in Birmingham, would not budge on the price.

Great pictures! Just think, I could have bought Elvis' car in 1966 for only $5,000 and I was not willing to go above $3,000 and Tommy Charles, the disk jockey in Birmingham, would not budge on the price.

Ugh!

Richard

Could you elaborate on your story? Did you know at the time this was Elvis' 507? The video Ken posted suggested that Jack Castor did not have knowledge of the car's history until approached by Bimmer magazine in 2009 (see link below too). This story in the link to Bimmer magazine answered the question about the arrangement made beween Jack Castor and BMW for Elvis' 507.https://www.bimmer-mag.com/issues/14...g#.V_vREJMrI-U

What an amazing story and such a great tribute to Jack Castor, a man not driven by greed and whose only interest was to keep the legacy alive. Thank you Jack.

For those who did not get a chance to see the Stuck/Elvis/Castor 507 in Monterey, this magnificently restored roadster will be on display at the recently reopened Zentrum museum of the BMW Manufacturing plant in Spartanburg SC until the spring and at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance March 11-12, 2017.

I did not know that the car for which I offered $3000 to disk jockey, Tommy Charles, was previously owned by Elvis. All I knew was that Charles had pretty much ruined the car by putting in a Chevy V8 and racing the car. Back then (1966), I didn't have a good understanding of BMWs and I clearly "missed the boat." I don't think I even knew Elvis had one (or more).

I did not know that the car for which I offered $3000 to disk jockey, Tommy Charles, was previously owned by Elvis. All I knew was that Charles had pretty much ruined the car by putting in a Chevy V8 and racing the car. Back then (1966), I didn't have a good understanding of BMWs and I clearly "missed the boat." I don't think I even knew Elvis had one (or more).

Richard

Thank you for the follow up on Elvis 507, and for sharing your memories of this car in 1966.

A rather fabulous tale of a 507 that is coming up for auction at the Villa D'Este tomorrow.

Sold new through Automag Buchner & Linse of Munich, Germany, chassis number 70044 is a rare first-series 507, produced in July of 1957. Originally finished in Papyros, a scarce shade of off-white with a red leather interior, it was equipped with whitewall tires, a hardtop, and a Becker Mexico radio with an automatic antenna. The car’s first owner would be Herbert Dinkheller, who worked for a tobacco company in Frankfurt and who acquired the car shortly after it was built. While the 507 was registered under the name of his company at first, ownership was later transferred to Dinkheller personally in November of that year. The car was purchased from Dinkheller by its second owner in April of 1958.

The car’s third owner, Hermann Beilharz of Mötzingen, would be the car’s longest custodian. Beilharz was a successful amateur racer of Honda motorcycles and bought the 507 with what little funds he could scrape together, as his pride and joy. Throughout the course of his ownership spanning over five decades, he made sure it was always well maintained whilst being stored carefully and driven regularly during the summer months. Photos are on file of the car from throughout Beilharz’s ownership, including some of him posed with the car on his wedding day. It was acquired by its current owner in 2014.

When the car was originally acquired by Beilharz, he refinished it in its current shade of sea green early in his ownership, contrasting with its black hardtop. The original red leather interior shows the wear requisite for the 73,000 original kilometres on its odometer. Recently refitted with its proper front bumper and steel wheels, the car retains a set of colour-matched Rudge wheels, which will be included in the sale, along with a tool kit, owner’s manual, factory brochure, and certificate from BMW. While with its current owner, front disc brakes were installed to provide additional braking power; the original front brakes accompany the car. Furthermore, the car is still accompanied by its original German Fahrzeugbrief and a letter from Hermann Beilharz, which confirms its limited ownership history.

Andrew Macpherson

Expert Z8 Inspections, with full support for both Z8 sale and purchases.

The 507 featured in the Seinfeld show (70089) and the Elvis 507 (70079) used to belong to the late Jack Castor in Half Moon Bay. Jack made a deal with BMW Classic; they would restore both cars to the same high standards, keep the Elvis 507 for the museum and return 70089 to Jack after the restoration. Sadly, Jack died before the restoration was finished. Jack had no immediate heirs. He willed 70089 to a good friend, and that's the one in the Seinfeld video. Many of us saw the Elvis 507 in Monterey last year and/or at Amelia Island earlier this year. It has now returned to the museum in Munich. 70089 was on display in Monterey at the Legends of the Autobahn, which most of us missed (except for Satch) as it took place the same day as the event at the Quail.

The gorgeous, but rather brightly colored 1957 Series 1 507 sold last year is back at auction.

Exceptionally rare Series I example

Highly original example; retains its original interior and engine

Single ownership for 51 years; first time offered for public sale

Four owners and 73,000 original kilometers from new

Offered with Rudge wheels and a factory hardtop

145 bhp, 3,168 cc OHV all-alloy V-8 engine with dual carburetors, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with dual A-arms and torsion bars, live rear axle with torsion bars, and hydraulic front disc and rear drum brakes. Wheelbase: 97.6 in.
Sixty years ago, BMW was a very different company to what it is today. Caught in the turmoil of Germany’s post-World War II resurrection, the company’s income came largely from the production of microcars rather than luxury machines. Plans were underway for a saloon car, which a V-8 engine had already been developed for. But, BMW needed something more. What was missing from the BMW lineup was something inherently exciting, something that would put them in the forefront on the minds of enthusiasts and the general public alike.

Max Hoffman, the noted European car importer based in New York City, saw an opportunity for BMW to create a halo car that could be sold in his dealership. Thinking that the car could fit in-between the higher-end Porsche 356 Speedster, Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, and more pragmatic MGs (all of which Hoffman represented), it would be an ideal addition to his showroom. Sure enough, just like the Speedster and 300 SL, Hoffman was able to convince the superiors at BMW in Germany, and the BMW 507 was born.

Utilizing components from the BMW 502 and 503 series of automobiles, mainly the 3.2-liter overhead-valve V-8 engine, which featured an aluminum block and was uprated to feature twin carburetors to deliver a refined 148 brake horsepower, the 507 certainly had the underpinnings of a sports car. With a four-speed synchromesh gearbox and large Alfin drum brakes to help manage the car’s horsepower, the BMW 507 offered brisk horsepower and performance. It was capable of reaching top speeds of 123–135 mph, dependent on the gear ratio selected, and could accelerate from 0–60 mph in less than 10 seconds. Although BMW did not build the 507 with motorsport in mind, several examples found themselves driven in competition as some of the world’s most arduous racing events, including the Tour de France and the Mille Miglia.

Design was left to Count Albrecht von Goertz, a protégé of designer Raymond Loewy. He crafted truly exceptional bodywork for the car, a design which is considered to this day to be one of BMWs finest. The long, sweeping lines of the 507 began at the front with the low, sensuous nose featuring a stylish version of the now trademark BMW ‘twin kidney’ grille and a narrow chrome bumper. The theme of feline grace continued along the front of the car with sculpted wings featuring ‘shark gille’ vents complete with the BMW emblem. An elegant chrome rear bumper and twin exhausts gave the car a sporting tail.

While it was intended to be more attainable, the BMW 507 boasted a retail price of over $11,000, nearly double its target price, which made it a car that only few could afford. As such, the 507 attracted many well-to-do and famous owners, including motorsports icon John Surtees and even Elvis Presley. Only 252 examples, including both series, were made before production ceased in 1959.

Delivered new to Automag Buchner & Linse of Munich, Germany, chassis number 70044 is a rare first-series example, and this BMW 507 was produced in July of 1957. It was originally finished in Papyros, a rare shade of off-white, with a red leather interior, whitewall tires, a hardtop, and a Becker Mexico radio with an automatic antenna. It was purchased by its first owner, Herbert Dinkheller, who worked for a Tobacco company in Frankfurt, shortly after the car was built in July of 1957. The car was first registered in the name of Dinkheller’s company, but ownership was later transferred to him personally in November of 1957. The car’s second owner purchased the car from Dinkheller in April of 1958. The car’s third owner, Hermann Beilharz of Mötzingen, purchased the car in 1963 and owned it for a much longer period of time, just over 50 years. Beilharz was a successful amateur racer of Honda motorcycles and bought the 507 with what little funds he could scrape together as his pride and joy. Over the course of his ownership, he made sure it was always well-maintained whilst being stored carefully and driven regularly during the summer months. Photos are on file of the car from throughout Belharz’ ownership, including some of him posed with the car on his wedding day. It was acquired by its current owner in 2014.

Today, the 507 presents as an exceptionally original example and still retains its original engine. The car had been refinished black when it was acquired by Beilharz and early in his ownership, he refinished it in a shade of sea green, and it retains the same paintwork to this day, along with a contrasting black hardtop. Inside, its red interior remains in original condition, showing wear requisite for the 73,000 original kilometers on its odometer. The Rudge wheels, color-matched to the bodywork, were fitted to the car by the current owner, and the original steel wheels are included in the sale, along with a tool kit, owner’s manual, factory brochure, and certificate from BMW. In its current ownership, new front-disc brakes were installed for greater stopping power, and the original front brakes accompany the car. Furthermore, the car is still accompanied by its original German Farhrzeugbrief and a letter from Hermann Beilharz, which confirms its limited ownership history.

Many enthusiasts today argue that the 507 would have put BMW out of business had it not been successful selling microcars and motorcycles to offset the car’s extreme cost. However, at the same time, the BMW 507 undoubtedly helped to rekindle the company’s sporting reputation. In that regard, the 507 set BMW on a course which undoubtedly helped to steer it toward its current reputation today of building quality, performance-oriented luxury automobiles. Without it, BMW would certainly be a very different company than the company we know and love today.

This particular 507 is truly exceptional, having been well-maintained and preserved by an enthusiastic owner over the course of 54 years. Its character and patina show the result of decades of adoration and careful use. Finding an example that is this well-preserved and retains its original engine is virtually unheard of, especially as this marks the first time this particular 507 has been offered for sale publically. An ideal warm-weather driver or ideal candidate for a concours restoration, this 507 gifts its next owner with not only an exceptional automobile, but a world of possibilities with how it can be enjoyed.

The John Surtees 507, without a doubt the most unique and special 507 of all, sold at the Bonhams auction in Goodwood for over $5 million. John Surtees owned the car since new until he sadly died last year. Congratulations to the new owner and let's hope (s)he does not make the mistake of restoring it.